Valencia’s Fallas: must-see events and curiosities

The Fallas of Valencia are much more than a major popular festival: they are also full of traditions, history and surprising details that make each of their events unique. From the mascletà to the Cremà, we take a look at some of the most important Fallas events along with curious facts that will help you better understand this celebration.

If you are thinking of visiting the city at this time of year, these are the most important events of the Fallas of Valencia, perfect for discovering the essence of a celebration that completely transforms its streets.

Mascletàs: the most eagerly awaited sound of the Fallas

From 1 to 19 March, the Town Hall Square hosts the daily mascletà, one of the most iconic events of the Fallas of Valencia. Unlike other fireworks displays, the focus here is not on colour, but on sound, rhythm and intensity.

Curious facts:

• Its name comes from the masclets, powerful firecrackers, and its execution works like a true musical composition made with gunpowder.
• With around 190 kilos in some displays and a thunderous finale, the mascletà is an experience that is not only heard: it is felt throughout the whole body.

The Night of the Plantà: a city turned into an open-air museum

On the night of 15 to 16 March, the Plantà takes place, one of the most eagerly awaited moments of the festival. This is when the fallas committees finish installing their monuments and Valencia wakes up transformed into a huge open-air museum.

Curious facts:

• During the Fallas, nearly 800 monuments are erected across the city.
• Each committee usually presents a large falla and a children’s one, made up of ninots representing satirical scenes, well-known figures or current affairs criticism.

Flower Offering: the most emotional event

The Flower Offering to Our Lady of the Forsaken is one of the most moving events of the Fallas of Valencia. Thousands of falleras and falleros parade through the centre of Valencia to deliver their bouquets and create an impressive floral mantle in honour of the city’s patron saint.

Curious facts:

• It began in 1941 with the participation of just a few falleras and has since become a massive tradition.
• The red and white carnations create a floral mantle of around 14 metres, which has become one of the most iconic images of the festival.

Nit del Foc: the great night of gunpowder

The Nit del Foc, or “Night of Fire”, takes place on the night of 18 to 19 March and marks the grand finale of the pyrotechnic displays before the Cremà.

Curious facts:

• It lasts around 20 minutes and, in some editions, up to 1,400 kilos of gunpowder have been used in a single display.
• The Nit del Foc 2023 was considered the largest in Fallas history up to that point, with 2,000 kilos of gunpowder fired in just 19 minutes.

The Cremà: the grand finale of the Fallas

On 19 March, Saint Joseph’s Day, the most symbolic moment of the Fallas of Valencia arrives: the Cremà. That night, the fallas monuments burn across the city, bringing days of work, art and celebration to an end.

Curious facts:

• It has its origins in the ancient Valencian carpenters, who burned wood scraps in honour of Saint Joseph to say goodbye to winter and welcome spring.
• Only one element escapes the fire: the ninot indultat, chosen by popular vote, which is saved from the flames and becomes part of the Fallas Museum.

The Fallas of Valencia are much more than a popular festival. They are art, tradition, emotion and pure spectacle. From the roar of the mascletà to the emotion of the Flower Offering or the intensity of the Cremà, each event offers a different way to understand the soul of Valencia.

If you visit the city in March, get ready to experience one of the most impressive festivals in the Spanish calendar.